George Town, Penang - Street Food, Evenings

OYSTER OMELETTE (OH CHNIEH)

When made well, oyster omelette is all at once crispy outside and gooey delicious inside. My rating of 8 is given to this version photographed at the Lam Ah Cafe, opposite the fire station at the corner of Beach and Chulia Streets, within the UNESCO designated heritage area near Penang Harbour.  Lam Ah Cafe is open only from 1030am to 430pm, closed on Sundays.

Suggested Other Sources of Oyster Omelette:

1. Yi Garden Coffee shop, 150-152 Macalister Road near corner with Lorong Selamat - open from noon to midnight, except Sundays.

2. Song River Cafe, 65 Gurney Drive - evenings, a tourist hub. This is within walking distance from the Gurney Plaza and Paragon shopping centres towards the middle of Gurney Drive.

3. Stall at the Pulau Tikus Markets - from 630am to noon every day.

4. Bee Hooi coffee shop, at the corner of Pulau Tikus Lane and Burma Road, with the stall for the oyster omelette open from 6pm to midnight.  Please note that this coffee shop is also open in the mornings but with a different set of stall holders and therefore street food!

5.   Seng Thor Coffee Shop, 160 Carnarvon Street (near junction with Kimberly Street), open from 1pm to 530pm only and there is one day per week that they do not operate but this day is not fixed.

CHOON PNIAH OR DEEP FRIED SPRING ROLLS

Suggested Sources of Choon Pniah:

1.  Beach Corner at the Batu Ferringhi  tourist strip along the main road near the beach - my rating is for a 9 out of ten.  Hainan in origin, theses are best eaten piping hot from the wok, downed with cold herbal drinks or beer and eaten with family and friends.  This hawker complex, within walking distance form the Batu Ferringhi hotels and in the midst of the evening craft and souvenir markets, is open every evening from 6pm till late.

2. Restaurant open to public at the Penang Swimming Club, Tanjung Bungah.

ROJAK - FRUIT AND VEG SALAD

I am referring to the Chinese styled rojak, which cleverly combines texture, taste and health for snacks or dessert consideration.   When you bite into this heady mix, you can find this dish simultaneously spicy, salty, stinky, savoury, sourish and sweet on your palate.

Cucumbers, guava, skinned pineapples, green mango, jicama shreds, peanuts and a sauce that blends in dark soy sauce, belacan (or the toasted dried shrimp with chili paste), castor sugar, tamarind juice and soaked and deseeded chilis. It must  have garnishings that include the toasted sesame seeds and the black shrimp-based paste unique to Penang - the Hae Kor.   The only oily stuff that perhaps is included are cuts of the deep fried Chinese dough - you tiau in Mandarin or the eu char koay in Fujian dialect - that you can ask to be not included in your own serving.

Suggested Sources of Rojak:
1.  Penang styled Chinese inspired rojak at stall in the New World Park, Swatow Lane 10am to 5pm.

2.  Hock Seng Rojak King, open from 11am to 5pm, at MaCallum Street near Cecil Street Ghaut, in front of Sin Hong Leong coffee shop.

3.  Joo Hooi Coffee shop at 475 Penang Road, at corner with Keng Kwee Street, also good for Cendol.

4.  101 Rojak Ho Wei Jeng, at the Esplanade, open every night from 7pm till midnight except Wednesdays.

5.  Stall 77 Rojak at the Gurney Drive Food Centre, near the northern end of Gurney Drive, Gurney Plaza and Paragon Shopping Centres. Closed on both Mondays and Tuesdays, otherwise open from 7pm.

KOAY TEOW THNG - RICE NOODLE SOUP

The Pho noodle soup in Vietnam is outstanding for the richness and uniqueness of its soup.   The same white coloured narrow rice noodles are used in the Penang version, which utilises less spice and beef and more chicken when preparing its stock.  Vital are fresh ingredients like thin pork or chicken slices, fish cake bites, shallots. aromatic pepper and ginger, minced pork or fish paste balls, wanton dumplings and choi sum greens.

Suggested Sources of Koay Teow Thng:

1.  Sky Emperor Stall offering braised chicken feet with Koay Teow Thng at Kimberly Street, not far from junction with Sungei Ujong Road.  Open for business from 6pm to 10pm.

2.   Eel fish ball Koay Teow Thng at 183 Carnarvon Street from 9am to 430pm, except on Sundays and Mondays.  Amazingly, this place is called Pitt Street Koay Teow Thng.

3.   Beef rice noodle soup at the Lam Ah Coffee Shop, at corner of Beach and Chulia Streets, open from 1030am to 4pm, closed on Sundays.  This place is also worth a try for the oyster omelette.

The three  outlets indicated above are within the Chinese section of the UNESCO designated heritage area of George Town.

SATAY SKEWERS

Satay must be the most well known dish for visitors, especially back packers,  to south-east Asia apart from the roti - and variations are found in Central Asia, the Indian sub-continent and in East Asia.  The well chosen tender and succulent  marinated meat is lovingly placed in skewers, swiped with lemongrass juice and grilled ideally over charcoal.  I love the satay in Hoi An Vietnam; Kajang  Selangor, Malaysia; and night food markets all over Thailand.

In Penang, the Chinese operated outlets have satay served in pork or chicken versions.  Muslim stalls only provide beef, mutton and chicken variations, but come with the ketupat, a traditional rice cake often steamed in bamboo covers.  The satay skewers are normally served with cut onions, sliced cucumbers and the must-have, a rich yummy peanut gravy that brings out more in the grilled meat.

Suggested Sources of Satay:

1.   Satay stall opposite Maxim Cafe at corner of New Lane and Macalister Road, open 6pm to 11pm.

2.    Red Garden Cafe, 20 Leith Street in the UNESCO designated heritage area of George Town, near to upper Penang Road. A tourist gathering area in the evenings!

3.  Kheng Pin Coffee Shop, 80 Penang Road - at the corner of Upper Penang Road and Sri Bahari Road.  This place is also well known for its lobak.   Opens from 7am till early afternoon.

Do check out:

http://kindlyyours.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/george-town-penang-street-food-in.html

PRAWN STOCK NOODLE SOUP - HAE MEE 

Hae Mee is known well in both Singapore and Penang Islands, with a version in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong called Har Mee.   Served with a combination of yellow Hokkien noodles and vermicelli, it is tasty because of the richness of its prawn shell based soup and a variety of ingredients like thin sliced lean pork, squid and fish cakes, bean sprouts, pork lard bits, de-veined prawns and kangkong or local water spinach greens.  

Chili condiment is provided according to your preference and there are also crispy deep fried shallots to complete the act!   The dish came with Fujian immigrants settling in Malaya and Singapore in the 19th century.  The same yellow Hokkien noodles also provide the basis for another dish, stir fried with a rich gravy, Hokkien Char.  In the Klang Valley with Kuala Lumpur as its core, dark soy sauce is used to create a rather special version of the stir-fried Hokkien mee.

Suggested Sources of Hae Mee:

1.  Old Green House Restaurant at 223 Burma Road, open from 8pm to 4am but closed on Sundays.

2. Song River Cafe, 65 Gurney Drive – evenings, a tourist hub.  Also worth a try for its oyster omelette.

3.  Swee Kong Coffee Shop, near to junction  of Moulmein Close and Burma Road,  opposite the Pulau Tikus police station -  opening hours 6am to 9am, closed Mondays and Thursdays.

4.  Stall at the Jelutong Night Market, Penaga Road, in a suburb south of Georgetown.

 You may want to check out
http://kindlyyours.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/george-town-penang-street-food-midday.html

POST NOTE: Do plan your route ahead when exploring Georgetown's street food.  Public transport quality can be patchy and not on schedule.  I recommend hiring a bicycle/motor bike/ car or getting a friend to drive! The weather can be warm, humid or rainy at times.  Always have pocket tissues with you, for unlike in Australia and New Zealand, no vendor offers such tissues with your food. Always be ready to be able to pack snacks or left overs. Be careful when crossing streets for motor cycles, usually small powered Hondas, as there can be a casualness with these local riders on narrow streets and pavements, especially in the UNESCO designated heritage zones. Most businesses open late from 11am.  

At the time of this posting, most of the dishes recommended in this blog post cost from Malaysian Ringgit 3 to 5 per serving.  Coffee and most other drinks  in traditional coffee shops ask for a couple of Malaysian ringgit on average. The GST is planned to be introduced to Malaysia from April 2015. For local barista places, be prepared to pay around Malaysian Ringgit 4 to 8 for their drinks.

Common Malay words in maps are as follows: Jalan is a road, Lebuh refers to a street, Solok indicates a cup-de-sac,  Lorong means a lane and Lebuhraya is an avenue.  Jalan sehala indicates one way only for vehicle traffic.

Have on hand small currency notes - and a coin purse to handle change.  When consuming street food on a provided table in a food court or traditional coffee shop, you are expected to order drinks from the drinks stall. Street food stalls can be finicky handling opening hours, it can depend  on their other job, festive days and ingredients running out. The above food outlets featured in this specific blog post begin their business only from evening and often until midnight, unless otherwise stated.  Portions can be rather small when compared to what you have in Asian outlets in Western countries but it is a perfect opportunity to sample the variety of what is available before you go to hit the gym, beach or park.  Acknowledgement and thanks to several of my family and friends, especially Mr Philip Yeoh for their valued guidance and efforts in helping us secure a spectrum of street food places in February 2015. Feedback from readers of this blog post is most welcome.

George Town, Penang - Street Food Midday

POH PNIAH 

The Poh Pniah or "thin biscuit' in Fujian dialect - delectable, delicious and divine as made by the Padang Brown stall, only available from 12 noon onwards until sold out.  My rating for this particular dish is a 8.5 out of ten.  Freshly made poh pniah skin is a good start - followed by filling in fresh and adequately textured ingredients like crabmeat, dried shrimp, bean sprouts, crushed peanuts, cooked pork bits, grated Chinese turnip (or jicama), cut lettuce and grated carrots. The sauce is made with blending soy, rice wine, Hoisin sauce and oyster sauce.

Suggested Other Sources of Poh Pniah:

1. Sin Yin Nam Cafe at New Lane junction near Macalister Road.  New Lane has been localised in name to 'Lorong Baru".

2.  Kek Seng coffee shop, 382-384 Penang Road, open daily from 8am to 5pm.

3.   Stall at New World Park food court, Swatow Lane (from 11am to 4pm each day).

4.   Wah Leong Coffee Shop, along Burma Road.

High hygienic practices can be adhered by street food stalls in George Town.

AIS KACANG, CENDOL AND CUT FRUITS

Fresh fruit and veg juices and slices are essential to stay refreshed and quenched in an equatorial climate.  This scene is from the New World Park at Swatow Lane,  where a visit often means compulsorily having the Ais Kacang, a concoction of ice shaving, sweetness, crunchiness and delight!  The New World Park is open from 11am to 4pm each day.  I score the Ais Kacang here an 8 out of ten.

The Cendol is another dessert common throughout South-east Asia (for example in Thailand it is known as Lod Chong; in Vietnam, Banh Lot; and in Bandung and Yogyakarta, Jendot).    The Penang version is served chilled, has strong hints of palm sugar with coconut milk mixed with shaved ice and garnished with red beans, black grass jelly bits and the compulsory green coloured rice flour bits.  The green colour is obtained from using extracts of Pandanus leaves.

Suggested Other Sources of Ais Kacang:

1.  Kek Seng coffee shop, 382-384 Penang Road, open daily from 8am to 5pm.

2.  Low Eng Hoo Coffee Shop, Lorong Selamat near Macalister Road.

Suggested Source of Cendol:

1.  Stall for Teochew Cendol, Junction of Penang Road with Keng Kwee Street,  near Chowrasta Market.  A tourist gathering point! There are also branches of this dotted across other suburbs of Penang Island.

FISH STOCK LAKSA

I found  the Thai laksa, pictured above,  allowing me to soak our palates in the aroma of Thai herbs and spices.  Photo shows an appreciated home made version.
The difference between curry laksa and the other types of laksa described here is that in the latter,  the use of grounded fish in the soup base - and in the sourish taste, often garnished with cut Spanish onions, fresh chili bits,  sliced cucumbers and thicker noodles.

There are four types of laksa  - the curry laksa, the tamarind based laksa, the lemak or coconut milk based version and the Thai aromatic herbs recipe.

Suggested Sources of Tamarind Based Laksa:

1. Stalls in Air Itam Market near the Kek Lok Si Temple Complex in Air Itam (Black Water Village).  Popular with tourists.
2. Stalls in the Balik Pulau Market food court - this is on the western side of Penang island and not in George Town.  A gathering point for visitors from outside Balik Pulau.
3. Kek Seng Coffee Shop, 382-384 Penang Road, open from 800am to 5pm.
4. Kheng Pin coffee shop, 80 Penang Road, at corner of upper Penang and Sri Bahari Roads. Closed on Mondays, the coffee shop is otherwise one from 7am to 3pm.
5.  New World Park food court, Swatow Lane - from 11am to 4pm daily.
6.  Swee Kong Coffee Shop, near the corner of Moulmein and Burma Roads, opposite the Pulau Tikus police station.
7. Joo Hooi Cafe, 475 Penang Road - corner with Keng Kwee Street (refer to Cendol entry above)

STIR FRIED GLASS VERMICELLI

A yummy Fujian special - tang hoon, or the glass vermicelli, seen at an oyster noodle shop (open from noon till sold out) in Lintang MacCullum, an area land reclaimed from the Penang Channel.  The noodles are slimy yummy and the flavours of the prawns permeate throughout.  My rating for this dish as shown above an 8 out of ten.

CHICKEN CURRY PUFFS

Teatime favourite of mine - chicken curry puffs, which can  be found in various versions, the best of which I prefer are either based on the south Indian or Straits Chinese recipes. The trick is in the crust! Photo taken at the Continental Bakery in Georgetown ( at 33 Nagore Road and open from 10an to 7pm every day - last orders taken by 4pm).

HERBAL TEA, JELLIES AND SOUPS

How they make and store the cooling Guangzhou herbal teas at an outlet along Kimberly Street.
Kimberly Street is within the UNESCO designated heritage area of Georgetown.  Also worth trying in this shop is the Guilin jelly, which  is a good option during the late afternoon - my rating is a 7 out of  ten for this dessert.

PASTRY PIES

These pies are especially appealing to my eye!  I have not eaten a banana pie before.
Continental Bakery at 33 Nagore Road.

PENANG CURRY MEE

The name of this dish can be a misnomer in Penang.  Unlike the curry laksa, not much curry paste is utilised at all in this dish.  Instead what is critical to the soup of the Penang curry mee is the sambal condiment, which is made by the choice of good quality fermented shrimp paste, chili paste, garlic, onion, salt and sugar.  

For obtaining the variation of white curry mee, the chicken and prawn shell based soup is always cooked and served separately from the noodles, so that the customer can decide on how much colour to have for his or her final choice of soup - akin to the Swiss practice of serving chocolate separately from milk.  The colour from the Penang curry mee comes from how much chili and coconut milk are used in proportion.

Ingredients then added to the noodles and soup are commonly coagulated pig's blood, chicken slices, bean sprouts and the puffed bean curd (the tau hoo pok), 

Penang offers its own variation of the curry laksa, in the white curry mee, which had a spike in popularity in 2014.

Suggested Sources of Penang Curry Mee:

1. Tua Pui curry mee at 23 Kimberly Street from 9am to 5pm -  in George Town UNESCO designated heritage area.

2. Bee Hooi Coffee Shop at the corner of Pulau Tikus Lane and Burma Road, with the curry mee stall open in the mornings.  Please note that this coffee shop is also open for business at night, nut with different stalls and street food.

3. New Cathy Cafe, corner of Kuching Lane and Burma Road, opposite the Union Primary Girls School. Evenings only. Closed on Sundays.

4. Coffee shop at corner of Naning Street and Lorong Seratus Tahun in George Town UNESCO designated heritage area. 

5. Stall at the Pulau Tikus Market each morning.

6. Taman Emas coffee shop near corner of Gottlieb and Scott Roads, opposite the Penang Chinese Girls High School. Opening hours are from noon to 5pm.

SAR HOR FUN

The hot wok is used to stir fry broad based rice noodles and vermicelli, with other ingredients of prawns, octopus,  pork or chicken, eggs and local green with stems on. There is a gelatinous sheen over the noodles. Many years ago, some vendor in George Town started making a-go-go dancing moves while stir frying the Sar Hor Fun - he must have loved his job and was a showman at heart!  The heat of a good wok shows through in the aroma of the finished product - so if the wok has been used cooking this all day, it really radiates through in the taste which can be a bit burnt but which brings up the quality of this dish.

Suggested Sources of Sar Hor Fun:

1.  Foo Heong Restaurant, 56-58 Cintra Street, open by lunch time.

2.   Hon Kei Food Corner/ Cafe, 55 Lorong Kampung Malabar, open from morning.

(Note - within the Chinatown section of the UNESCO Heritage walking trail area)

CHEE CHEONG FUN

It may sound like a person's name in the Cantonese dialect, but this is truly a whiz of a pick-me-up on the run.  Usually eaten for breakfast, in Penang, it is readily available at any time of the day, but at different outlets.  The dish on first impression looks like rolls of rice noodles, cut into squares or in cross sections, smeared with sweet hoisin sauce and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds spread out on your serving plate - but the crucial ingredients are the variety of chili based sauces used to lift up the taste! These can be made from sambal or just the hot sauce in commercially available bottles.  XO sauce and soy sauce are also put into the mix.  The resulting outcomes will then determine the quality of any particular serving in front of you.

Suggested Sources of Chee Cheong Fun:

1.  Seow Fong Lye Chee Cheong Fun at 94C Macalister Lane - opening hours are from 730am to 1230pm.

2.  Cheong Kok Choy stall at New Lane (or Lorong Baru), off Macalister Road.  Opening hours are from 630pm to 1130pm.

You may want to check out

http://kindlyyours.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/george-town-penang-street-food-in.html

POST NOTE: Do plan your route ahead when exploring Georgetown's street food.  Public transport quality can be patchy and not on schedule.  I recommend hiring a bicycle/motor bike/ car or getting a friend to drive! The weather can be warm, humid or rainy at times.  Always have pocket tissues with you, for unlike in Australia and New Zealand, no vendor offers such tissues with your food. Always be ready to be able to pack snacks or left overs. Be careful when crossing streets for motor cycles, usually small powered Hondas, as there can be a casualness with these local riders on narrow streets and pavements, especially in the UNESCO designated heritage zones. Most businesses open late from 11am.  

At the time of this posting, most of the dishes recommended in this blog post cost from Malaysian Ringgit 3 to 5 per serving.  Coffee and most other drinks  in traditional coffee shops ask for a couple of Malaysian ringgit on average. The GST is planned to be introduced to Malaysia from April 2015. For local barista places, be prepared to pay around Malaysian Ringgit 4 to 8 for their drinks.

Common Malay words in maps are as follows: Jalan is a road, Lebuh refers to a street, Solok indicates a  cul-de-sac, Lorong means a lane and Lebuhraya is an avenue.  Jalan sehala indicates one way only for vehicle traffic.

Have on hand small currency notes - and a coin purse to handle change.  When consuming street food on a provided table in  food court or traditional coffee shop, you are expected to order drinks from the drinks stall. Street food stalls can be finicky handling opening hours, it can depend  on their other job, festive days and ingredients running out. The above food outlets featured in this specific blog post are open from lunch time, unless otherwise stated.   Portions can be rather small when compared to what you have in Asian outlets in Western countries but it is a perfect opportunity to sample the variety of what is available before you go to hit the gym, beach or park.  Acknowledgement and thanks to several of my family and friends, especially Mr Philip Yeoh for their valued guidance and efforts in helping us secure a spectrum of street food places in February 2015. Feedback from readers of this blog post is most welcome.

George Town, Penang - Street Food in the Morning

CHAR KOAY TEOW

Char Koay Teow - significant are the subtlety in fresh ingredients, how they are sliced, clever use of the wok heat and the texture of rice noodles.
Every Penangite has his or her own preference of how you want this dish, so go for your inner heart in whether you prefer it a bit wet with scrambled eggs, or take with fancy seafood or go with the basics - Cantonese sausage cuts, fresh springy bean sprouts, pork lard bits, garlic accentuated flavours and with kuchai greens.  The version shown above was captured by me at the Padang Brown food stalls which are open from late morning till sold out - my rating is 6.5 out of ten.  Padang Brown, named after colonial figure David Brown, is a rectangular field surrounded by Anson, Perak and Datuk Keramat Roads.

Suggested Other Sources of Char Koay Teow:

1. Ah Leng Char Koay Teow, at the Khoon Hiang Cafe, corner of Merican and Datuk Keramat Roads, a good stop by on your way to the Kek Lok Si Temple Complex in Air Itam (Black Water Village). Visit this stall early, as on popular days the stall is closed by 1pm.  They have versions with duck egg or large mantis shrimp. (Please note that in the evenings the father of the family running Ah Leng, Mr Teoh Koon Leng, runs his pop up char koay teow stall in suburban Air Itam from 5pm in the evenings at Lorong Zoo 6, opposite a seafood restaurant.).
2.  Road side push cart hawker at Siam Road - the veteran cooks using traditional charcoal, so the taste is enhanced and special as opposed to gas cooked food.ö
Available from 2pm till sold out.
http://kindlyyours.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/classic-georgetown-charcoal-fired-wok.html

3. CKT stall at the corner coffeeshop Sin Guat Keong, Kimberly and Cintra Streets in the Chinatown section of the UNESCO designated heritage area. Open from 530pm to midnight every evening.

We arrived too early for the char koay teow stall to open in the evening from 5pm - corner of Kimberly and Cintra Streets  in the heart of Chinese Georgetown.

BARISTA COFFEE

More significant than just providing wi-fi, service engagement and cafe location is the the aroma and play on your taste buds from the so many blends of barista coffee these days.  Philip suggested the SiTigun Cafe at 30 Nagore Road near the New World Park hawker and restaurant hub (cafe closed on Mondays). I tried the Sicilian ice coffee blend and it was above satisfactory, robust in aroma, strong in taste and made well to quench the thirst on a humid morning.  We also got to unexpectedly enjoy a live lion dance performance across the road through a heritage styled window frame.  I enjoyed this coffee - my rating is 7.5 out of ten.

Suggested Other Sources of Barista made Coffee:

1. Coffee Atelier, 47-55 Stewart Lane, behind the Goddess of Mercy Temple  (within the UNESCO designated heritage area)  Open every day from 830am till late.
2. ChinaHouse, 183B Victoria Street  (also accessible from 153-155 Beach Street) near Penang Harbour. Open every day from 10am till late.
3. Moustache Houze, 24 Campbell Street (within the UNESCO designated heritage area)  Open every day but usually from 4pm.
4.  Twelve Cups, White Aways Arcade, 12 Beach Street  (in banking district, near the cruise passenger terminal and Queen Victoria Jubilee Clock Tower and within the UNESCO designated heritage area) Open every day from 10am till late.
5.  Bibi's Fashion Bakery and Cafe located in a bungalow at 87D Kelawai Road at corner with Leandros Lane (open every day from 9am to 7pm except Thursdays)

6. Coffee Lane at 10B King Street, a brew to order cafe in the colonial part of the UNESCO designated heritage area. Operates from 11am to 8pm daily except for Thursdays.

WANTON MEE

To me, the best such soy sauce mixed egg noodles with char siew and prawn-pork dumplings (locally known as wanton mee or tok tok mee in Penang) are found in Hong Kong, Vancouver and Kuala Lumpur.  My recent experience of this dish in Penang was at the Gou Lou coffee shop ( at 55 Lorong Kampung Malabar, near the corner with Penang Road in the city centre of George Town)  The texture of the al dente noodles, with freshly made dumpling skin and accompanying vinegar green chili cuts - make this rated a 7 out of ten; only the red lined char siew could improve in my opinion.  Also to try in the same coffee shop - sar hor fun, with broad rice noodles, seafood and a zesty wok stir fry aroma; and pan mee, those hand made noodles that first came to peninsular Malaya through Sabah and China.

(Note - within the Chinatown section of the UNESCO Heritage walking trail area)

Suggested Other Sources of Wanton Mee:

1. Sai Lam where Chulia and Carnavon Streets
meet, a true street side experience.
2. Chee Meng Cafe, 20 Dato Koyah Road, near upper Penang Road. Closed on Tuesdays 

and otherwise open from 7am to 1pm.

3. Tai Wah Coffee House, 86 Argyll Road. Closed every Tuesday, otherwise open from 730am to 1130am.

4. Pop up stall in front of the Union Girls Primary School, Burma Road (only at night)

BAK KUT TEH

Bak kut teh, with herbal mixes in the dark soup, accompanied by succulent stewed pork ribs, was created by Chinese immigrants for working class consumption in 19th century Malaya and Singapore.  It has nutritive qualities apart from being eaten at any time of the day, but more popular at night.  Fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, star anise and dang gui Chinese herbs are utilised to prepare the soup in  flurry of fusion between south-east Asian and Chinese culinary influences.

Often served with hot piping smoked tea like at yum cha sessions, there are related servings of the deep fried yau char kwai (Cantonese for deep fried crullers or you tiao in Mandarin), fish balls, mushrooms and stir-fried greens.  The version above was served at Aristoga , an informal dining area under an elevated warehouse cover but open to the sea breezes along Penang's iconic Gurney Drive.   Street parking is limited so many customers do park their vehicles at the nearby Corner Club and this cafe is also near the long established New Zealand Cafe.  My rating for the Aristoga  Bak Kut Teh?  A 7 out of ten.  The Aristoga is open from early morning till night time. 

(Note - within walking distance of the Gurney and Paragon shopping centres)

Suggested Other Sources of Bak Kut Teh:

1. Super Lai Lai BKT, at corner of Naning and Macalister Roads, a walk of a few blocks from lower Penang Road. Closed on Thursdays,  otherwise open in the evenings every day from 6pm till 1am.  Opposite the Red Rock Hotel.

PORK CONGEE

Modest looking as it may be, the pork based congee is one of my favourite comfort food dishes. With the stock soup brewed overnight, before being dished out in the morning, it is a benign choice for old and young alike. The key is in its stock - followed by the freshness and suppleness of its varied ingredients and garnishing.  You have to slice it thin and bite-size, whether you just have the minced pork, pig liver, cooked innards, spring onions or more. A choice of good rice and pepper gives the X factor.  The picture above shows the variety served at the Hon Kei Food Corner/ Cafe located at 45 Lorong Kampung Malabar in central Georgetown, open for business from morning.  My score for this bak moey dish is a 7.5 out of ten.

(Note - within the Chinatown section of the UNESCO Heritage walking trail area)

Suggested Other Sources of Pork Congee:

1.  Pop up pork congee stall on street side in front of the Ho Ping Cafe at Lorong Kampung Malabar from 6pm to midnight every evening.  You sit on chairs at tables just opened for the few hours and there is a community feel to the experience.
2. Chee Cheong Chok stall at the corner of New Lane and Macalister Road, from 5pm until sold out (outside the heritage zone but a few blocks away from lower Penang Road)

Suggested Sources of Chicken Congee:

1. Yee Sang Kai Chok along Cintra Street (near to junction with Chulia Street) -  again only at night from 8pm but closed on Sundays.

LOBAK

Lobak, or deep fried soy bean skin rolls with a pork packing inside, accompanied by hay ken (or deep fried battered shrimp snacks) are great with beer and served with a choice of sauces (one brown and another chili hot) and cut cucumber slices.  Servings are delicate and compact at this Hon Kei Food Corner/ Cafe outlet but every bite is yummy.  I found this particular lobak shown above crunchy outside, not salty and with quality ingredients inside, with no over whelming hint of the Chinese five spice powder used to marinate the meat.
My rating is for an eight out of ten.

(Note - within the Chinatown section of the UNESCO Heritage walking trail area)

Suggested Other Sources of Lobak:
1. Kheng Pin Cafe, 80 penang Road, at the corner of Penang and Sri Bahari Roads.  Backpackers can recognise this aging corner coffeeshop if they hang around upper Penang Road, buy their nutmegs at nearby Chowrasta Market and have their share of roti canai at roadside stalls and and consume their Nasi Kandar at Line Clear.  Closed on Mondays, open from 7am to 3pm.

2. Kek Seng coffee shop, 382-384 Penang Road, open daily from 8am to 5pm.

Map of Georgetown - Copyright Chiang-mai.org

The staff preparing the lobak at the Hon Kei Food Corner/Cafe are energetic, confident and know their stuff!

OTHER DISHES RECOMMENDED:

1.  Kaya spread toast, poached eggs and local Penang coffee - Toh Soon Cafe , near corner of Campbell Street and Upper Penang Road. 7 to 8am every day.
2. Hainan Chicken Rice - Tho Yuen Chicken Rice Restaurant, 94 Campbell Street. Open 6am to 3pm every day.
3. Straits Chinese snacks and cakes - Moh Teng Phew Nyonya Kueh, Jalan Mesjid, off Chulia Street. Closed on Mondays.
4. Ban Chien Kueh or the peanut filled pancake laden with smashed corn, at the Pulau Tikus morning markets  or in the evenings from 6pm, at the Anson Road pop up stall in front of the Lok Pin coffee shop

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POST NOTE: Do plan your route ahead when exploring Georgetown's street food.  Public transport quality can be patchy and not on schedule.  I recommend hiring a bicycle/motor bike/ car or getting a friend to drive! The weather can be warm, humid or rainy at times.  Always have pocket tissues with you, for unlike in Australia and New Zealand, no vendor offers such tissues with your food. Always be ready to be able to pack snacks or left overs. Be careful when crossing streets for motor cycles, usually small powered Hondas, as there can be a casualness with these local riders on narrow streets and pavements, especially in the UNESCO designated heritage zones. Most businesses open late from 11am.  

At the time of this posting, most of the dishes recommended in this blog post cost from Malaysian Ringgit 3 to 5 per serving.  Coffee and most other drinks  in traditional coffee shops can be yours for a couple of Malaysian ringgit on average. The GST is planned to be introduced to Malaysia from April 2015. For local barista places, be prepared to pay around Malaysian Ringgit 4 to 8 for their drinks.

Common Malay words in maps are as follows: Jalan is a road, and Lebuh refers to a street, Solok indicates a cul-de-sac, Lorong means Lane and Lebuhraya is an  avenue.  Jalan sehala indicates one way only for vehicle traffic.

Have on hand small currency notes - and a coin purse to handle change.  When consuming street food on a provided table in a food court or traditional coffee shop, you are expected to order drinks from the drinks stall. Street food stalls can be finicky handling opening hours, it can depend  on their other job, festive days and ingredients running out. The above food outlets featured in this specific blog post are open in the mornings at least until lunchtime, unless otherwise stated.  Portions can be rather small when compared to what you have in Asian outlets in Western countries but it is a perfect opportunity to sample the variety of what is available before you go to hit the gym, beach or park.  Acknowledgement and thanks to several of my family and friends, especially Mr Philip Yeoh, for their valued guidance and efforts in helping us identify and visit a spectrum of street food places in February 2015. Feedback from readers of this blog post is most welcome.

Fitzroy, Melbourne

At Stagger Lee's, you get rustic charm, great coffee, a hipster crowd and a lively evening out.

Fitzroy, the name evokes Melbourne, an alternative lifestyle and so Melbourne itself.
Also hosting a football club significant in the tribal sports culture of this city, it is only a few blocks away (really two kilometres)  from the Victorian Parliament House.  It has heritage sites, a long road to walk in quiet hours and even boasts the birth place of Saint Mary MacKillop, the nation's first Catholic to be bestowed with such honours.  Its very location attracts twenty somethings and so there are the inevitable unique cafes, ethnic food outlets and old frontages of terrace shops. I am captivated by the Perseverance Hotel, for it does look like in dire need of a restorative make over.  And I want to go back to the Fitzroy Town Hall!  And Fitzroy hosts the popular Fringe Festival for Melbourne.   The Fitzroy Baseball Club, the Lions, has existed since 1889 and Fitzroy City, mostly formed by Serbian Australians in 1953, is part of the Victorian State League Football.

Almond croissant from the Babka Cafe.

Dining out, partying near a weekend  or just having a trendy breakfast can be centred around the bars, cafes and pubs.
Caffeine top ups, chatting with baristas and being served fancy toppings over sour dough slices are the order of brunch time as well - with names like Stagger Lee's, Slowpoke and the Grub Food Van.   Music gigs closer to moonlight hours can be found in places like Yah Yahs, Collingwood World  and Panama.    The Euro tradition and heritage is evident here, a precursor to the arrival of other immigrant groups.  Johnson Street oozes with Spanish themes.  The Black Cat has transformed into a bar.  Sydney's Messina Gelato has a branch in Fitzroy along Smith Street.  And there is the Supercool Fitzroy Emporium and the French delight at Gertrude Street, De Clieu, inspired by a former naval officer Gabriel De Clieu who famously saved precious water rations for his coffee plants rather then for himself.

Small business? Crafts are still very much alive in Fitzroy, amidst the apparent gentrification of the suburb twenty years ago and the current revival of inner city living.

Third Drawer Down can be checked out for unusual oddities in shopping at affordable prices.  Nearby Brunswick has the Sydney Road Street party in March, to coincide with the Brunswick Festival.   The current free tram ride on the northern edge of Melbourne's CBD means you can take advantage of this and find your own way nearer to Fitzroy.  Tram No 112 from Collins Street or No 86 from Bourke Street takes you to Brunswick Street.  Nearby train stations are in Collingwood, Parliament and Rushall in North Fitzroy - and then you have to walk, which may be the best way to soak in this unique area.  The Rose Street Artists markets on weekends showcase emerging talent.  Several galleries are accessible on most days - Alcaston, Sutton, the Centre for Contemporary Photography, Window99, PanelPop and the Brunswick Street Gallery.

Breakky and brunch menu at Slowpoke, along Brunswick Street in Fitzroy.

March is festival time in greater Melbourne, with the Moomba Parade, Garden and Flower Show, Food and Wine Festival plus the FI Grand Prix (chalking up 20 years in 2015).  It is but officially the start of the Victorian autumn.  The bohemian nature of Fitzroy nurtures budding interests and devotees in film, cycling, fashion, graphics, art and music. If you are into retro records, vintage wares and cult classics, Fitzroy still does not disappoint.  Check out outlets like Polyester Books, sibling, Somebody Loves You, FAT 4, Hunter gatherer and in.cube8r.  For shoes, go to Smith Street.

Depiction of early settlement life in recent Australian history - an artist's rendition along Brunswick Street.

Fitzroy street scene in the quiet hour.

Oddly enough, Fitzroy is named after a previous New South Wales Governor - considering the sizable historic rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne, this is amazing.   It was the first suburb created outside Melbourne city centre under 200 years ago.   In line with current day trendy districts around there world, Fitzroy was initially a working class area and its proximity to Melbourne's Chinatown also saw many settlers of Chinese origin amongst its first residents. The present day City of Yarra, as distinct from Melbourne, was created in 1994 to take in nearby Collingwood, Richmond and Fitzroy.  Up to nearly half of today's demographics in Fitzroy originate from Vietnam - and so Vietnamese, Cantonese and Mandarin are popular tongues, reflecting the mix of boat refugees following the conclusion of the Vietnam War int he seventies.  Politically, the Australian Labour Party and the Greens hold pretty much sway in this area.   For those who follow Aussie TV, Fitzroy was used for location shooting for such serials as Rush, Offspring and City Homicide.  Last but not least, I note that the second Prime Minister of Australia as a federation, Alfred Deakin, hailed from Fitzroy.

The Making of Ang Koo

Beauties in rows!

Just before steaming them - the outer skin should not be overly red, the banana leaf must not stick to the snack sand have lots of patience and tender care in making this snack.


These snacks should not be overly sweet, nor can they turn hard too fast and must have the texture of having undergone experienced hands. The mould patterns must be clear and show detail.  They are savoury on your palate and go well with tea.

All prepared to make the outer skin.

Glutinous rice flour. Edible red food colouring. Fresh banana plant leaves. A bamboo steamer. Deft experienced hands. Mung beans. Some sweet potatoes. A carefully chosen wooden mould for beautiful tortoise top patterns. Mindfulness that the dough does not stick to the mould. A sense of expectation. Ability to form tight  balls in a size to fit the mould you use.  Warm weather helps, like back along the Straits of Malacca or beside the South China Sea.  Have friends and relatives help out!

The final outcome, red tortoises, made to mark festive occasions.


Unlike some other specific Straits Chinese creations, there are not too many obvious variations for this snack, whether you talk to Penangites, Malaccans or Singaporeans.  The beauty of being able to savour this snack is that they are not made  for daily consumption, so there is a special gratefulness about being able to partake them. I prefer the authentic and original version, red ones, instead of some of the new fangled recipes that use panda or durian flavours.  In south-east Asia, you can source them commercially but nothing is as tasty as those made lovingly at home to celebrate the first month of a an infant.   Increasingly you can at times spot these home made versions brought over to be served at the end of an eight course banquet at a restaurant.

Wooden mould for the Ang Koo outer skin designs.



Lots of preparation and planning are entailed -as required for most of these Straits Chinese creations!  The yellow coloured mung beans have to be washed and soaked at least overnight.   Aroma, texture and taste are key factors used by elderly aunts or uncles to judge the quality of your Ang Koo.   If you want to be dainty, you can serve them in lacquer coated coffin carriers and imagine them being carried along to relatives and neighbours along the narrow lanes of heritage Georgetown in Penang or down Jonkers Street in Malacca. Some for the Ang Koo shapes produced vary, as you can find round balls, rectangle versions and more, but roundness signifies wholesomeness and achievement of a cycle.  Those round ball Ang Koo balls indicate the north of male infants.  A lot of the ingredients are left to stand at room temperature and never see the inside of a fridge.

The fillings on the right - mung bean with sweet potato.


Ingredients for making the skin for Ang Koo:

Cooking corn oil
A pinch of salt
A pinch of sugar
One tablespoon ordinary rice flour
300gm glutinous rice flour
200grams of steamed and meshed skinned sweet potato
Edible food dye, preferably light hued pink
100 ml hot water



Ingredients for making the filling for Ang Koo:
100g castor sugar
Quarter teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cooking corn oil
200 grams of pre-soaked mung beans


Other things to pre-assemble:
Banana leaves cut into small squares to fit the intended size of each Ang Koo.
Use light grease over each pre-cut banana leaf square.


Procedure for the fillings:
1. Wash and soak the mung beans at least overnight.
2. Next day,m begin by steaming the soaked mung beans for around 20 minutes.
3.  Place the warm cooked mung bean mesh to blend in a food processor with the salt, cooking oil and sugar garnishing.
4.  Obtain a smooth outcome with the mung bean mix.
5. Hand shape the mung bean mixture into balls of the size that fits your mould.
6.  Let the mung bean balls stand at room temperature.

Procedure for the skin:
1. Blend and mix the related ingredients of sugar, ordinary rice flour, glutinous flour and sweet potato.
2. Add the cooking oil, edible  dye and hot water as you knead the mixture.
3. Put aside the mixture under muesli cloth and let it stand.

Making the Ang Koo:
1. Allocate the skin dough into portions to accommodate the pre-shaped filling balls.
2. Flatten the divided skin portions to fit in the filling balls - ensure each ball is sealed adequately.
3. Flour dust the mould and place pre-shaped dough with skin into each mould.
4. Press the dough properly into each mould  and knock each out, to be placed on top of each pre-cut banana leaf square.
5. Occasionally flour dust each mould used to prevent unwanted sticking of the dough into the details of the mould.
6. Place all ready moulded pieces on to a bamboo steamer over a heated wok.
7. Steam the snacks on medium heat until done or around 10 minutes. Watch over this process like a hawk!






Photographs above were taken in the kitchen of Ms Suan Chee, Melbourne.

Snacks and Bites Australia part 2

Wholesome big breakfast at Cosy Cafe, Unanderra NSW

Portuguese themed home gathering - Balgownie

Spaghetti Marinara at Shellharbour Stockland shopping centre

A great way to start the day - besides the beautiful glass mugs - at Connie's, North Wollongong NSW

Breakfast with the Sakumas - Devon Cafe, Surry Hills Sydney

Roast lamb shanks with potatoes - Costa Azzura Italian, Fairy Meadow NSW.

Roast duck ala Guangzhou with braised mushrooms.

Snacks and Bites - Australia Today

Cantina Dog - Cantina Central Hotel Shellharbour NSW

My favourite yogurt - various flavours from Dairy Farmers

Veg and fruit juicing - fete at Macquarie Park, North Ryde NSW

Eggs Florentine with salmon and avocado - Point Cafe, Bulli NSW

Fish stock based soup in ramen from Ryo's in Crows Nest, north shore Sydney

Perhaps a balanced breakfast - bacon, poached egg, tomato, avocado and cut fruits, from Connie's Cafe, North Wollongong NSW

Spicy arrowroot noodles with garnishing, pork slices and egg - Jonga Jip, Eastwood NSW

Cempita pulled pork on a roll with cabbage - Dagwood, Wollongong NSW

Musing over a brioche roll for a weekend breakky

Beer battered fish and chips with gherkins - Diggies North Wollongong Beach NSW

Soy sauced pork with a Pimms cocktail

Crispy fried chicken with fried egg over tomato flavoured rice, accompanied by a vinegar based dipping sauce - very popular in Vietnamese restaurants and cafes dotted across Australian capital  cities

Fresh from the oven -  French inspired croissants from Orto Trading Co. , Surry Hills, Sydney

Quick fix noodles of curry mee

Sourdough with a twist Spanish style - Bill & James Cafe, Balgownie NSW